Embodiments of this invention relate to a semiconductor device, a method of packaging a semiconductor device, a method of mounting a semiconductor device, and refers particularly, though not exclusively, to packaging of a semiconductor device possessing thermal dissipation structure.
Various types of semiconductor packages exist where the semiconductor is encapsulated in resin. In some types of encapsulated devices the semiconductor die is located on a heat sink, heat slug or thermal pad. The heat sink is part of the metal leadframe. The heat sink may be exposed on one face to allow better thermal dissipation. In other cases the heat sink may be covered by a portion of the resin encapsulate.
For high power applications, for example, a Transistor Outline (“TO”) package, it may be necessary to attach the TO package to an external heat sink to dissipate the heat generated by the transistor. Some TO packages include a screw hole for mounting the TO package to an external heat sink.